The Rise of the Blue Phoenix

Chapter 9: Fighting Mutants

"Again, Ashley," Wong called out. Ashley groaned as fought more and more. But her energy was quickly extinguished. She tried her hardest, fighting Bucky, but she could barely breathe. Her heart could be heard in her ears. She was trying so hard, but she was holding so much back, tears of frustration began stinging her eyes.

      "I'm trying," she whispered. She fought the urge to cry. Strong, stay strong, you're the leader of the Avengers for God's sake. She punched Bucky once as she fought through the chains Wong threw at her. A fight that was impossible for her to win.

      She suppressed a yell of annoyance.

      Beside Storm, Rogue and Bobby stared at Ashley's fighting pattern, noticing the smallest of gears turning in Ash's head. "She's afraid," Marie/Rogue said, holding onto Bobby's hand. These moments made her grateful for the serum that removed her mutant powers.

      From beside them, Storm, who was standing beside Colossus, spoke up. "She should fight a mutant. Sorcerers are not as powerful as a mutant, especially against Jean. She needs to practice with someone else –  someone stronger. She's holding back her mutant powers."

    "Well, she refuses to remove the necklace that keeps her powers in control. She is terrified of leaving it off," Wong explained, pointing at her necklace. Storm looked at Ashley and sure enough saw the necklace. She then looked at Colossus before turning to Wong. "Can I add one of my own in there?"

      "You mean a mutant?" Wong questioned, raising his eyebrows.

      "Yes, Colossus will try to fight her." Storm concluded, turning to Colossus and nodding her head at Ashley. Colossus nodded, "With pleasure."

      He walked into the fight, and Ashley wanted to stop the fight. Instead, she looked at Storm with a look that reminded the mutants of Jean Grey, sending a chill down each of their spines. Ashley tried to look inside herself, finding all the chains swirling around her, trying to grab any of them.

      A golden-yellow chain made its way right under her nose, letting her try to grab at it. She tugged it, and with an annoyed grunt, pulled it harshly. But something- a force, was pulling her back and she had no idea what it was or where it was coming from.

      A large heavy punch brought her back to reality, and she realized where she was. She didn't cry, but she was bleeding. She finally just created a blind light to blind everyone as she ran out of the training area. Had she stayed a moment longer, sobs might have fallen in front of everyone.

       She didn't know where she was running to, but she wanted to be away from everyone. The one place she could think of was her mother's old room, and without thinking twice, dived there and hid, locking the door as she sobbed in a curled ball.

       Not too loud, she told herself. No one must hear you. You are weak. The voice then laughed in her head, but she only cried harder, the tears rolling down faster than before.

       A small knock was sounded on the door.

       Ashley looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were red and puffy, her face red from all the heavy panting, and noticing the sweat she had that made her almost sparkle in the light. "Just a minute," she called out, washing her face before wiping it. She then opened the door and saw Storm. She saw the distraught look on the younger woman's face. "Oh no, sweetheart, come here." She cooed, hugging Ashley tightly. "You can let it all out, don't worry. I just wanted to talk, but I'm willing to listen."

          It was silent in the room for just a few minutes.

          "This was my mom's room," Ashley said, sniffling a little bit as she rubbed her stump, obvious that she removed her prosthetic. "She, um, she died while getting the soul stone. She gave her own life in exchange for it."